MEDITAZIONE. — prayer (v.) in which the soul, through the attentive consideration of the truths of faith, moves the will toward goodness and the fervor of the spiritual life. It is not pure intellectual speculation, but an exercise essentially ordered to the perfection of oneself (s. Francesco di Sales, Théotime, 6, 2). In meditation, almost all the interior faculties are employed: the memory, which presents the matter for meditation; the intellect, which investigates its nature and properties; and the will, which produces corresponding affections and resolutions.
I. OBJECT OF M
The object of m. is the truths of faith, suited to move the soul toward the good; purely theoretical investigations belong rather to study than to m.In general, every subject suited to the purpose of impelling and strengthening the soul in virtue is good, according to the saying of s. Paul (Phil. 4:8). Such subjects are found especially in the Gospels, in the liturgy, and in the writings and lives of the saints. Jesus Christ, with his teachings and examples; the attributes of God; the prerogatives of Mary s.ma; and the eternal truths are the subjects most recommended (N. Lancitius, Op., 2, n. 181; J. Alvarez [V. BIBLICA.], III, 3, procem.). One should seek what is best suited to each person’s conditions of life and spirit, needs, and inclinations. It is recommended that m. correspond as closely as possible to individual needs, since souls are so varied: some are moved by abstract truths, others by examples; and it may be useful to vary them, provided one frequently returns to the fundamental points that truly enkindle the soul (C. Schorrer, Theol. ascet., part 3ᵃ, 5ᵃ series, chap. 1).
M. is one of the most effective and necessary means for the development of the interior life and for sanctification, because it accustoms the spirit to know supernatural truths in an intimate and personal way, while guiding it toward God or causing it to live in a divine atmosphere. Indeed, m. disposes a person to savor and understand heavenly things, the beauties of Grace and of the virtues, and the mysteries of the Redeemer; and it helps him to transform himself by acquiring mastery over his senses and actions. It is therefore recommended by all spiritual masters, particularly to those who are obliged to strive for a more perfect life. The CIC prescribes it daily for the clergy (can. 125, 2) and for religious (can. 592), and Pius XII declared this practice «irreplaceable» for priestly perfection (Allocutio ad parochas Urbis, in AAS, 35 [1943], pp. 105-16; Adhortatio: Menti Nostrae, ibid., 42 [1950], pp. 671-72).
II. METHODS
Meditation is an ascetical practice which, over the centuries, has assumed increasingly well-defined forms (P. Pourra, La spiritualité chrétienne, III, 6ᵃ ed., Parigi 1927, p. 8 sgg.). Already in the early Middle Ages, methods for meditation began to emerge, consisting in the selection of particular lists of subjects to be meditated upon progressively (Revue d'asc. et de myst., 6 [1925], p. 367 sgg.). Such were those of s. Edmondo di Canterbury, the Dominican Guglielmo Perlado, s. Bonaventura (De triplici via, cap. 1), and b. Raimondo Lullo, who spoke of the use of the various powers of the soul: « ratio, synderesis, conscientia, voluntas, memoria ». The « devotio moderna » (v.) introduced and propagated new, more systematic methods of mental prayer, made more necessary by the decline of the interior life accompanying the rise of pagan revival; the various « scalae » and « exercitatoria » belong to this period. After the invention of printing, books on meditation were widely disseminated. At the end of the sixteenth century, through the Rosetum du Mauburnus (1494), which had established that meditation should be conducted on determined points (meditabilia puncta), further specifications were introduced, especially through the Esercizi spirituali (v.) of s. Ignazio di Loyola (1556), and methodical meditation reached a culminating point in its development (P. Pourrat, op. cit., III, p. 34). The opposing currents of the Alumbrados (v.) and of Michele de Molinos (Denz-U, 1238-40), who despised discursive meditation, and also of Fénelon (ibid., 1341), who considered it of little value and as belonging to « interested » love, were condemned by the Church.The difficulties raised, even in recent times, against meditation generally arise from a false conception of the method. On hearing terms such as reflections, affections, resolutions, and colloquies, some critics fear that such a procedure is mechanical and prevents souls from freely following the movements of Grace. Yet it is easy to demonstrate the necessity of these elements if meditation is to be fruitful prayer. Reflections and affections alone, without resolutions, would contribute little to the attainment of perfection. Affections without colloquies—that is, without prayers of petition—would deprive the soul of the surest means of obtaining the Grace to preserve the fruits of its considerations and the resolutions themselves, as well as that intimacy with God which is nourished by trusting and filial expressions. Conversely, one who contented himself with affections and colloquies without intellectual reflections would not possess those profound convictions regarding religious truths which must support the whole spiritual life. Therefore s. Tommaso says that the cause of devotion, after the Grace of God, is meditation, that is, the intellectual consideration of the truth of faith (Sum. Theol., 2ᵃ-2ᵃe, q. 82, a. 3); it is a work of persuasion, assimilation, and deepening.
Nevertheless, it is certain that acts of the will are more important than those of the intellect, and therefore more affections than thoughts are required. All spiritual masters affirm that when the will has been moved, the work of the intellect must cease, since the end has thereby already been attained. Reasoning is resumed when the affections begin to languish. It is generally recommended that haste be avoided, and that one become accustomed to dwelling on the affections until the heart has been completely satisfied by them. Affections may be expressed vocally in the form of aspirations, arising spontaneously and recited slowly and thoughtfully; or by using formulas already employed in the Church, such as verses from the Salmi or from the liturgy. Given the importance of such affections, some authors propose various lists of those most useful to the spiritual life, classified according to the needs of beginners, the proficient, and the perfect (cf. J. Alvarez [V. BIBLICA.], pp. 933-1183, 1185-1220).
As for resolutions, care must be taken that they be practical and genuinely useful for the amendment of life and the attainment of perfection; particular, that is, precisely defined with regard to the occasions on which they are to be carried out; adapted to the present state of the person meditating; capable, as far as possible, of being put into practice immediately; founded upon solid bases, namely, strong motives of reason and faith, and not upon passing enthusiasms or fleeting consolations; humble, that is, based on distrust of oneself and on the conviction of the necessity of invoking God’s help through prayer. It must be remembered that the importance of resolutions should not be exaggerated to the point of judging every prayer that does not formulate one to be useless; nor would it be correct to believe that new resolutions must be made each time. Often, on the contrary, it is advisable to reaffirm the same ones for a long time, until they have actually been put into practice.
III. TECHNIQUE
As regards the “technique” of m., there is considerable variety among the different schools of spirituality. Generally, all agree on a process of remote and proximate preparation. The person meditating prepares himself through recollection and then through reading the points for meditation, either personally or by listening to someone else; he then places himself in the presence of God, to whom he addresses a prayer, ordinarily vocal, offering him the m. and asking for the grace to perform it well. The properly meditative work on the chosen subject follows; it concludes with colloquies or prayers intended to ask for some grace related to the subject meditated upon and especially to the resolutions made, or for graces of another kind. Such colloquies are also very useful during the course of m. and are addressed to God, the Blessed Virgin, and the saints.A special form of m. consists first of all in the “repetitions”: m. undertaken again in its entirety, with the intention of deriving new fruits from the same subject, whether by dwelling only on those points at which one had previously been more fervent, or in the form of a summary, or by surveying at a glance an entire series of m. or mysteries already considered. This technique forms souls deeply acquainted with the ways of the spiritual life.
Also highly effective are the “contemplations,” or the exercise of the faculties of the soul no longer by way of reasoning, but by way of examples, observation, and intuition; this method must not be contemplation (v.). Such contemplations are ordinarily made upon the mysteries of the life of Jesus, supposing oneself present and observing them with one’s own eyes, through a vivid imaginative representation. One contemplates the persons, words, and deeds in order to be instructed and edified by some spiritual fruit. Many examples of this form of prayer are found in the m. on the life of Jesus by fra' Giovanni de Caulibus (falsely attributed to s. Bonaventura, X, Quaracchi 1940, p. 23), in the works of Tomaso da Kempis and Ludolfo di Sassonia, and in the Esercizi of s. Ignazio di Loyola. The latter (Exerc. Spir., 2ᵃ hebd., Applicatio sensuum) and also s. Bonaventura (Itinerarium mentis in Deum, cap. 4) spread a third form of contemplation, called “application of the senses,” by employing the five imaginative and spiritual senses—that is, by inducing one to see, hear, taste, smell, and touch internally sacred persons, places, and things, according to specific norms. Thus, for example, one may taste the spiritual fragrance of virtue, the sweetness and gentleness of the love of God, and the nausea and disgust of sin, of the worldly spirit, etc. This form of prayer nourishes feelings of satisfaction, enjoyment, and loving delight in the Divine Redeemer and in the virtues, and is a particularly fruitful method when accompanied by the preceding ones (F. S. Calcagno, Ascetica ignaziana, I, Torino 1936, pp. 208-15).
Finally, for persons with less aptitude for spiritual matters, the use of meditated vocal prayers is recommended—that is, prayers recited with suitable pauses, during which one reflects on the various meanings of the individual words or phrases—or meditation and pondering of the meaning of some scriptural passage, as well as the repetition many times of the same aspiration, or of several in a certain order, as the Savior himself gave the example (Mt. 26, 39; cf. Lancitius, De causis et remediis ariditatis in oratione, cap. 2 e 14), and as did the Church in the invitatory of Matins, together with countless saints.
Arnaldo M. Lanz